The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-18
STANF0RDON HISDIGNITY
HE FILES HIS ANSWERS TO THE
COMMISSIONS PETITION.


A Claim That He Tried to Comply
With the Request-He Feels Hurt
That He. Should Be Asked Whether
He Ever Attempted to Bribe Legis-
lators.
SAN Francisco, Aug. 17.-There was
filed in the United States Circuit Court here
yesterday the answer of Senator Leland
Stanford to the petition of the Pacific Rail
road Commissioners to compel Mr.. Stan
ford to answer questions relating TO the use
of money for the purpose of influencing
legislation in connection with the Central
Pacific railroad Mr. Stanford says that
after receiving the circular from the COM
mission in May of this year calling for GER
tain information he endeavored to comply
with the request Answers containing
all available information were presented
and submitted to the commission. Since
the arrival of the commission In San Fran
cisco he has waited upon them, the princi-
pal officers and employees of the Central Pa
citic Company have waited upon them, and
every person in the employ of the company
whose presence was desired, or who could
furnish them information in respect to the
subjects of their investigation have promptly
and cheerfully done So
THE LAW COMPLIED WITH.
"The provisions of the law creating the
Central Pacific Company have been COM
piled with. The repeal of the act of Con
gress creating the company would not do
away with the Central Pacific Railroad
Company. Its existence does not depend
upon an act of Congress. 1t owes its exist
ence to the laws of the State of Cali
fornia, and to those laws alone.
However, the repeal of the act
of Congress may affect bounties,
it can in no wise affect the existence of the
company. The annual examinations of the
affairs of the company have been made by
government officials, and the accounts be-
tween the government and company ad-
justed accordingly. The Presidents exam
ination by the Pacific Commission has not
only extended to affairs of the Central
Pacific Railway Company, but has extend
ed to a searching investigation of the af
fairs of all the consolidated and allied COM
panes connected with that corporation. All
business relations have been exposed to the
public and the prying curiosity of rival bus
iness competitors"
DONE OUT OF SPITE.
Mr.. Stanford states that it is in regard to
that class of property with which the gov
ernment has no connection that he declines
questions have been asked and line of ex-
animation pursued, manifestly prompted by
disaffected and hostile parties, whose aim
was more pursuit of personal enmitv of
private character than interest to the public
at large or the ends of justice. ''In my tes-
timony given to the Commissioners
| have said in substance, and
now repeat, that have never
| corrupted, or attempted to corrupt
any member of Legislature, or any public
official, or have authorized any agent to do
so. regret that the Commissioners have
deemed it their duty to PROFOUND questions
| involving criminality on my part, or on the
part of persons whose names have been
mentioned by the Commissioners in such
questions, answers to which, for the
reasons already stated, | have felt con-
strained to decline to make"
CONFIDENT OF PROTECTION.
In conclusion Mr. Stanford says that he is
confident that the protection accorded every
citizen of the United States by its laws will
absolve him from considering such questions,
and he claims that the court should not
make the order prayed for in the petition of
the Commissioners.
BY order of the Pacific Railway Commits
sion the following dispatch was sent to
President Cleveland to-day: 1.-TWO suits are
pending in the United States Circuit Court
of this district involving the right of this
commission to examine a witness concern
ing the payment of money to influence legis-
lation. As we are under your immediate
direction we respect ully request your judg-
ment as to whether or not we should employ
counsel to assist the District Attorney Our
Judgment is that we should. Please an
swer.n